Bcnature “Know nature and keep it worth knowing” • Tracking Tundra Swans • Celebrate BC Parks Centennial “Know nature and keep it worth knowing” • BC Nature - Wetlands Survey Results The Magazine of BC Nature www.bcnature.ca • Spring 2011 • Vol. 49 No. 1 • ISSN 0228-8824 Bc nature In This Issue: Volume 49, No. 1 Feature articles are the sole responsibility of their authors. Opinions expressed therein are Objectives of BC Nature not necessarily those of BC Nature. (Federation of BC Naturalists) • To provide naturalists and natural history clubs of BC with a unified voice on conservation and Departments: environmental issues. Guest Editorial - Anne Murray....................................... 3 • To foster an awareness, appreciation and BC Nature at work for you ............................................ 4 understanding of our natural environment, that it may be wisely used and maintained for future President’s Message ........................................................ 5 generations. Conservation Report ....................................................... 7 • To encourage the formation and cooperation of Club Chat ........................................................................ 23 natural history clubs throughout BC. Club listings .................................................................... 30 • To provide a means of communication between naturalists in BC. Regular columns: Book Reviews ................................................................. 19 Cynodontium Rock .................................................... 21 BCnature magazine is published quarterly by BC Nature (Federation of BC Naturalists) Features: Circulation 4,800 Grants Support BC Nature Clubs ............................. 6 BC Nature Field Camps & Conferences ....................... 6 Guest Editorial: Anne Murray ([email protected]) Route Finding in Kakwa ................................................. 9 Advertising: Betty Davison ([email protected]) Wildlife Tree Stewardship (WiTs)................................. 10 Website: David Lassmann ([email protected]) Tracking Tundra Swans ................................................. 11 BC Parks Centennial........................................................12 We welcome your articles, photos and letters. Please send them to the office. BCnature reserves the right to edit sub- Focus on IBA - Chilcotin Junction .................................15 missions for length, style and clarity. BCWF Wetlands Education Program............................16 Submission Deadlines: Report - Wetlands Survey - BC Nature Clubs............. 17 Spring: February 15 Fall: August 15 Young Naturalists Club Update ...................................22 Summer: May 15 Winter: November 1 Advertising Rates (effective winter issue 2010) Notices: $440 ------------- full page Field camps and conferences 2010 ................................ 6 $220 --------- 1/2 page $165 ----- 1/3 page 2011 Annual General Meeting and Conference ..........28 $110 --------- 1/4 page $ 55 ----- business card BC Nature (Federation of BC Naturalists) Heritage Centre, 1620 Mount Seymour Rd. Cover photo North Vancouver, BC V7G 2R9 Trumpeter Swans at Cinquefoil Lake Tel: 604-985-3057 Photo by: Ian Routley Fax 604-985-3059 www.bcnature.ca email: [email protected] Office Manager: Betty Davison BC Nature is printed on 30 percent recycled stock 2 BCnature Spring 2011 Editor’s Notebook Guest Editorial - Anne Murray Importance of Farmland Activism wenty years ago there was a public outcry about the future of BC’s agri- Tcultural land. Provincial order-in-council 1141, allowing golf courses as an outright use of farmland, opened the way for urbanization of BC’s remaining farmland. Development pressures seemed unstoppable and when it came to rezoning, most people were happy to accept the maxim “you can’t fight city hall”. Only 3% of BC is arable land, a vital resource for food security. It is also wildlife habitat, especially for wintering and migrating waterfowl, shorebirds 14th Annual and raptors. In 1988, when bird habitat on Boundary Bay was threatened by golf course development, a small group of naturalists and conservationists thought it was time to fight back. The Boundary Bay Conservation Commit- tee (BBCC) was born, and went to court to prevent the rezoning. At the time, forty-four golf course applications were filed for farmland south of the Fraser River. Richmond conservationists were struggling to protect Terra Nova, the last agricultural land remaining on Sturgeon Banks. Similar efforts occurred throughout BC. Unremitting work by conservationists engaged the media and the public, and the issue grew wings. A proposed development on South Delta’s Spetifore farm resulted in the longest public hearing in Canadian his- tory and a unique citizen-led plebiscite that showed 98% of residents opposed to rezoning. Even though BBCC’s court case was defeated in the Supreme Court, all the efforts were not in vain. Less than a year later, pro-development municipal politicians were voted out of office, not just in Delta but in many other municipalities, and shortly after Mike Harcourt’s NDP was elected on a May 6 - 9, 2011 pro-farmland platform. His first action in government was to rescind order- ...come celebrate the migration in-council 1141. For some years, the environment remained on the political agenda, with the Nature Legacy program purchasing environmentally-sensi- of tens of thousands of tive lands, followed by the acquisition of Burns Bog. migratory shorebirds on the spectacular beaches, mudfl ats Over 6,000 ha of MetroVancouver farmland have been excluded from the and rocky headlands of Tofi no, Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) since 1974. Other BC regions have seen simi- right on the edge of the west lar losses. Media, public and political interest surged in the early 1990s but coast of Vancouver Island. subsequently died away. Yet, with rising food and transportation costs and global food shortages, coupled with significant declines in biodiversity, it is Activities for all ages time for a revival of interest. Maybe this is happening. Delta municipal council has just recommended that the former Spetifore land (now Southlands) be • shorebird fi eld trips returned to the ALR. • pelagic tour offshore • children’s programs Naturalists can play a strong, proactive role in farmland and habitat pro- • speakers tection and the prevention of wasteful urban sprawl. BC Nature has a solid • art show history of writing strong letters on conservation topics. Those who love nature should not be afraid to stand up and speak in public forums. There is more and much support out there for our position than might at first be apparent, and the more. knowledge and expertise of BC Nature’s members are a valuable part of the discussion. We must let our voices be heard. Anne Murray is a past-President of BC Nature, past Conservation Chair, and the author of books on Boundary Bay wildlife and ecology (see www.natureguidesbc. www.tofi noshorebirdfestival.com com). 250-725-2560 Spring 2011 BCnature 3 BC Nature at work for you Letters Sent •Dec 7 – Support for federal Bill C-469, Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights, urging all members of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development to support this Bill. •Jan 13 – Comment to Ministry of Environment “Environmental Mitigation and Offsetting Policy” • Jan 17 – Ministry of Forests Mines & Lands – Zero Net Deforestration Policy follow up on behalf of BC Nature •Jan 23 – Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk – Letter of Support for WiTS • Jan 27 - Letter and media release that an international coalition of environmental groups (including Nature Canada and BC Nature) have withdrawn in protest a complaint against Canada through the NAFTA review process, regarding failure to enforce laws for species at risk •Feb 17 – Submission to Canadian Wildlife Foundation for Butterfly monitoring program grant •Feb 21 – Letter to Ministries of Forest, Natural Resource Operations and Environment regarding changes to Visual Quality Objectives in Burns Lake area, and concerns with changing a Land and Resource Management •Mar 14 – Comments to Ministry of Environment Water Act Modernization Policy and Proposals Letters Received •Jan 20 – Minister Murray Coell – response to meeting at BC Nature – Park Interpretation, Boundary Bay, Communications/Project Manager Funds. Meetings •Nov 22 – BC Nature Executive Meeting •Jan 11 – Wildlife Tree Stewardship steering committee •Jan 17 - BC Nature Executive Meeting •Jan 26 – Kootenay Regional Teleconference meeting •Jan 27 – Invasive Plant Council conference •Feb 8 – Breeding Bird Atlas Steering Committee •Feb 10 – Wetlands Stewardship Partnership •Feb 15 – BC IBA Committee Meeting BC Nature Field Camps & Conferences 2011 Apr 28 to May 1 - Spring Fraser Canyon Field Camp May 6 to 8 - Skagit Bird Blitz May 12 to 15 - Conference and AGM hosted by Williams Lake Field Naturalists Society. Registration and program information on page 28/29 Jun. 3 to 5 - Mt. Robson Provincial Park Bird Blitz Jul. 2 to 9 - Nuit Range exploratory backpacking Jun. 17 to 19 - Manning Park Bird Blitz Jul 15 to 19 - Strathcona Provincial Park Field Camp Jul 16 to 23 - Backpacking South Chilcotins Sept 29 to Oct 2 - BC Nature Conference and FGM - Tsawassen - Hosted by Delta Naturalists. "Nature on the Move - Migration through Delta" 4 BCnature Spring 2011 The President’s Perch By John Neville address impacts associated with public let you know that the other the other use